Parvo Virus
Dog Flu? No...It’s Parvovirus!
By Dr. Jim Nicolas, DVM - Iron Mountain Animal Hospital
The recent death of Oprah Winfrey's adopted cocker spaniel puppy from parvovirus has put the relatively common and highly contagious dog virus in the spotlight We are also seeing an increase in cases in the Dickinson County area.
“Luckily, the virus can be prevented“, said Dr. Jim Nicolas of Iron Mountain Animal Hospital, “thousands of dogs will die each year of this terrible disease. This is a very regrettable fact since parvo is so easy to vaccinate against.”
'Parvo' is a highly contagious disease characterized by diarrhea that is often bloody. The most common symptoms of this disease are vomiting and diarrhea. Another less common form of the disease occurs in very young puppies (less than 8 weeks of age) and attacks the heart muscle, often resulting in sudden death. Parvovirus is contagious to dogs only, not to cats or people. Any age or breed of dog can be affected by parvovirus. The degree of illness could range from very mild to very severe, often resulting in death. The disease is usually more severe in young dogs. The younger and smaller the dog, the greater the chance that it will not recover.
Canine Parvovirus is most commonly transmitted when a healthy dog contacts the feces of an infected dog. In ideal conditions, the Parvovirus can live on surfaces (i.e. dog toys, bedding, blankets, kennels) and in the environment for nearly six months, making it possible for a dog to get Parvo months after an infected dog has visited a location.
Dogs with parvovirus need immediate veterinary care because they are usually very sick. Successfully treating parvovirus is an uphill and costly battle. This care involves large amounts of intravenous fluids, added electrolytes, antibiotics, and special medications to minimize vomiting. It is common for them to be hospitalized for 3 to 5 days. Special precautions are taken when we treat parvo dogs. They are put in an isolation area so that we can monitor them closely and that other dogs in the hospital are not exposed to the virus. Unfortunately, even with the best care parvovirus can be up to fifty percent fatal, especially in young dogs. Survivability increases with age. An eight-month-old dog has a much better chance at surviving the virus than a three-month-old.
Early vaccinations for parvovirus are inexpensive and necessary to prevent this disease. A series of three vaccines at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age makes it virtually impossible to get the virus. Puppies should not be exposed to other dogs or the feces of other dogs until the vaccine series is complete. If you take on the responsibility of dog ownership, you should also take the responsibility of proper care, which includes vaccinations.
Call you local veterinarian and make sure that your dog is properly vaccinated against this terrible disease as it is likely we will be seeing additional cases of parvovirus throughout the spring and summer months.